Santeria in New York City

Providing new insight into debates over race and representation in the media, this ethnographic study explores the ways in which African Americans are depicted in television situation comedies and the meanings that African American audiences assign to such representations. The author ponders the reasons why blacks are relegated to comedy, and explores audiences' perspectives on a variety of issues, including how blackness is defined through television, the impact of stereotyping on societal perceptions, and the positive side of comedies.